Team-Building
by Overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: When Hawkmoth's efforts have reached the breaking point, it becomes clear that Chat Noir and Ladybug will need some back up. Ladybug and Chat Noir are each given a Miraculous to bring two others onto the team. It should be easy. Spoiler Alert: It is not. (Love Square; Eventual Reveal)
1. The Aftermath of the Battle

Marinette scowled into the darkness out into the city, and the labyrinth of fairy lights and rooftops so clear from her view. Any other night, it would have been a pleasant sight. She was already up far later than she had intended to be tonight.

She massaged her still sore shoulder. This last battle had been close. Much too close for comfort. The bruising on her yo-yoing shoulder still ached, even after she'd taken a dose of medicine. If it had not been for Chat Noir knocking her out of the line of fire - onto the side of the roof - it would have been far worse. Even her suit and the miraculous cure had only managed to mitigate some of the effects. It would heal eventually, but the fact that it even happened had been a bit of a rude awakening.

Hawkmoth was learning, getting sharper in his focus and more selective in his villains. She and Chat Noir had been an extremely effective team. Hawkmoth knew their powers well and kept pushing them both to their limits. Today had been the first sign they were starting to hit a wall.

He seemed to be lining them up for a big showdown, so it was essential to the safety of all of Paris that they were better prepared.

She palmed the small, wooden box that Master Fu had left with her only hours ago, tracing the nail of her little finger lightly along the ornate pattern. They really did need to have a surprise waiting in the wings.

"Have you thought about it?" Tikki chirped, hovering atop her shoulder.

"It's really all I can think about right now." Marinette tucked her knees up under her and leaned back onto the chair. Master Fu had given her the Fox Miraculous, although he had been deliberately vague on exactly the powers it would entail. "My instinct at the start of all of this was Alya. I know she can be trusted. I know she is smart and capable enough. We need to be able to outwit whatever else Hawkmoth has waiting for us. We need an edge. Someone who can read people well and take action with little guidance."

Tikki nodded sagely. Her slight smile clearly indicated that she please with the assessment and the pick. "And Alya certainly can. No one else has gotten nearly so close to knowing who Ladybug truly is."

"But that's also part of the problem." Marinette sighed, pressing her back into the brick wall. "Alya also has the Ladyblog to consider. I feel like she'd be inclined to step away or scale back, but she has been such an active presence that it would surely be noticed."

"Maybe she would be able to continue the blog. She could always include or exclude information to keep the safety of the team in check."

Marinette bit her lip. That idea had some potential, provided Alya would go for the strategic use of her blog. "But then, she still has her responsibilities to watch over her siblings. I have a hard enough time sneaking away sometimes in the evenings. And Alya isn't always able to come out to grab pictures for the Ladyblog, even when the Akuma are sighted."

The kwami frowned. "That's right. You did have a bit of a challenge convincing Alya to be your deputy class rep."

"I had honestly forgotten about that." Marinette bit back a groan, but gave in to the urge to massage her temples. "What am I supposed to do here, Tikki? There is no one else I would trust more with this responsibility."

"There is certainly good potential for having Alya step into the role. I think you could help make it work, especially if you explain the need for safety and such." Tikki tapped a tiny hand to her lip as she floated back in forth through the air beside Marinette. "But if you are still worried about things, why don't you talk to Chat Noir?"

Eyes wide, Marinette gaped. "I thought we were supposed to be keeping our new heroes identities a secret."

"Well," Tikki hedged, "you don't really need to tell him everything. Just talk to him in vague terms about your concerns and avoid mentioning the Ladyblog. He actually is a very good judge of situations when he isn't taking rash action."

Marinette quirked a brow. "Or flirting."

"Of course." Tikki gave her charge a conciliatory smile, content to pretend she didn't know just how much Marinette's heart sped up when her partner turned on the charm. Just because she could speak directly to Marinette in battle didn't mean she wasn't aware of what went on when her powers were in use. "But no one else has nearly as much insight into the demands life as he does. Who knows how busy Chat might be in his usual life? I know things were not nearly so hectic for my last miraculous holder. But life and times have changed so much since then."

Marinette bit her lip, pulling herself away from the wall slowly to minimize the pain. "And maybe I can get some insight into what kind of person he is considering for the team?"

Tikki grinned for a moment before her eyes flew wide open at the familiar mental tug. She darted behind the potted plant at Marinette's side.

Marinette blinked, catching the motion a few seconds too late. "What?"

Tikki hissed. "It looks like you're about to get your chance."

Marinette squinted just barely able to make out Chat Noir darkened form leaping from rooftop to rooftop some 50 feet away. "We need to transform to even talk to him about that."

"There's no time, Marinette."

Marinette grit her teeth forcing her attention away from the plant that hid Tikki. She couldn't let Chat see her in pain. Somehow she would need to keep that in check for as long as he stayed. She plastered on a pleasant smile, widening her eyes in feigned surprise as Chat made the final leap onto her balcony. "Oh! Hello!"

"Hello, _Purr_ -incess." He grinned, grabbing for her good hand to press a kiss to her knuckles. "Just the person I was looking for this lovely evening."

Her eyes widened further, unconsciously wincing as she tensed her shoulders. Had she missed an Akuma sighting? "I-You need my help with an Akuma again?"

Chat frowned, his eyes narrowing. He still held onto her hand, but drew his lips back from her fingers. Head tilting slightly, he blinked. "Not for the moment."

Marinette released the breath she had been holding. At least she could focus on resting and healing this evening, even if her other worries still kept her awake. Her smile grew more genuine. "Well, that's a relief."

His wide smile returned. "But that's what I came to talk to you about, _purr_ -incess. You have been so helpful in the past, keeping such a level head even in this more difficult situations."

"Oh." Marinette murmured, not quite meeting his eyes. "Well, thank you for that-"

Chat Noir pressed on. "And you've been very quiet about these few times where you have helped out, which I know my partner and I both appreciate. Not everyone does, you know?"

Unfortunately, she knew that all too well. Marinette nodded, bouncing anxiously on the balls of her feet. And while Chat's vote of confidence of her - both as herself and her alter ego - drew a pool of warmth to her cheeks that luckily was mostly hidden by the darkness, it really didn't explain why he was here.

Chat grinned widely, his jade eyes meeting hers head on. "As it happens, there will be an opening on the team. I think you'd be the _purr_ -fect fit."

Marinette's jaw dropped, her lungs suddenly unable to function properly. _What?_

* * *

Notes:

All errors are mine. I'm still looking for a beta in this fandom.

I spent the last three weeks doing crazy overtime for work and this idea just wouldn't let me go. I have several works in progress and lots of IRL responsibilities, so I will update as soon as I can.

Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading!


	2. One Hour Earlier

One Hour Earlier

* * *

Plagg spiraled out from the ring into Adrien's cavernous bedroom. The kid was stunned, staring in the darkness at the box that now rested on his desk as if it might bite him.

The kwami crossed his tiny arms and stifled a grin at the gold etched into the side, as he sped over to the desk lamp. Master Fu's little gift might sting a bit, but it would definitely not bite.

Plagg sighed. As Ladybug left the battle injured and even now, some three hours later, the boy was still reeling. It clearly wasn't the time for jokes. He'd just have to make sure Adrien was in a good enough mood to appreciate his cleverness later.

Adrien's drawn face was startlingly pale even in the dim light. With the way his jaw was clenched and the way his knuckles tightened on the edge of the desk, there was no doubt in Plagg's mind that his charge was replaying the image of Ladybug hitting the wall over and over in his mind.

He's seen that sight himself more than once in the past, when Tikki took a hit and the transformation released it's hold because she lost consciousness. When he'd lost one of his charges to untimely death. Those were the times that he felt the darkness of his destruction creeping in, when he felt the full brunt of his ill-fated luck. But neither he nor Adrien could afford to let them down right now. Ladybug was okay. Injured but okay.

Plagg's brows furrowed in exasperation. He himself had more than enough cause to question how Tikki was holding up. Her creation powers should have easily covered Ladybug's injury. The failure to complete the miraculous cure was troubling. Plagg had hoped that Master Fu would have bothered to shed some light, or at least made some further effort to aid communication between himself and Tikki even if only through Wayzz. This game of telephone through their charges was maddening.

At least with his heightened senses, he knew Tikki was always nearby. Somewhere in the same school at least. He could at least reassure himself that she was well tomorrow. Until then, he'd need to get Adrien going in a more productive direction. Since he had a few thousand years on the kid, it fell on him to be the adult. For now. "You're going to have to decide sometime, kid."

"I know." Adrien cleared his throat, shaking his head to clear the dazed look from his eyes. He turned back to Plagg more sure of himself this time. "Really, I know.

"Then what's the problem?" Plagg half-hissed, betraying his own anxiety. He took a deep breath. "Ladybug has already gotten injured once, which is one more time than either of us would like. But what's worse is that even a hint of trouble for her and you get rash and lose focus. We lose the opportunity to deal with the Akuma before it can multiply."

Adrien slumped into his computer chair, dejected. "It happened once, Plagg."

"Almost twice that I can recall offhand. Don't tell me you already forget that whole thing with the dinosaur?" Plagg chided, turning his back to lessen the burden of the confrontation. If it also meant a healthy dose of Camembert in his future, all the better. "And that's only when we've been aware enough of our actions to count. I haven't always been able to be aware when an Akuma manages to sway us. And if I am not, you are definitely not."

He peered over his shoulder as his charge grew silent, his blonde head dropping atop the desk itself. Plagg sighed, hurriedly snagging a piece from his camembert stash and popping a tiny bite into his mouth. This was not going as well as he'd hoped. "Look. We both know you need to keep your head at all times, or you are no good to Ladybug. And we both know that saving Paris will always be her number one priority."

Plagg grimaced, glad his back was turned as he took another bite. He at least had to assume that was the case. Tikki wasn't really telegraphing her intentions nearly as well as she had in the past. The new technology and the lightning fast spread of information clearly had her more on edge than normal. Master Fu hadn't been any help in the matter, opting instead to be nearly as cryptic as Tikki. The old man hadn't bothered to reach out to him at all, so he was truly flying blind.

Plagg shook his head, quickly swallowing back the final bite. He'd have to wait to actually savor his reward later, once they had a solid plan to protect both of their girls. Adrien kept stealing furtive glances over his shoulder, clearly expecting some bit of hope and direchere. "For as often as you've told me you are head over heels for her, you can't tell me you wouldn't do whatever is needed to keep her safe."

The kid shot up in his chair with a wince, clearly hurt that he would even question that fact. "Of course I would."

"Right. So," Plagg prodded. "Logic it out. You have the time to consider, so you can avoid the hasty actions. Think of it like a Physics problem. What is missing from your team?"

* * *

Adrien arched a brow; this wasn't really in the ballpark of physics, although he could try to break it down in the same type of way. "A healer."

Plagg exhaled into a half-smile. "Not the way our powers work, unfortunately. Shielding is the best we all can do, even with these two added into the mix."

The chair tilted back as Adrien whirled it in a circle, the motion spurring his mind into action. "So, should I guess they would need to be able to step into our usual roles if either of us was down?"

Plagg crossed his arms and hovered above his shoulder. "Your choice should be someone you can trust with the responsibility. Someone capable of handling the hours and the occasional bad day. But anymore than that, and I can't really tell you, kid. Not any better than I can tell you what kind of Akuma Hawkmoth is going to send at you next. You need to be prepared for anything and everything. Just be aware that even with these two new miraculous in the mix, only Ladybug has the ability to purify the Akuma."

Adrien frowned, but was pleasantly surprised to find Plagg more helpful than usual. There were only a few people that he could trust with a responsibility of this magnitude and of those only two who he had seen capable enough of dealing with Akuma as civilians-with a level head. But which one?

Plagg tossed his head back toward the television. "You play all those video games, right? I know I've watched you play a few where you make a group and attack."

"Oh," Adrien murmured, tapping a finger on the desk. "So what kind of power does this one have?"

Plagg tapped his tiny chin thoughtfully, arms otherwise crossed as he hovered above the computer screen.

"They both have the ability to manage or influence others, although Ladybug's kwami and I would make you both immune to those effects."

Adrien smiled. Crowd control? That actually would be useful. Keeping the general public safe or just away from the scene would make it so much easier to focus in on the Akuma and on protecting his Lady.

"But," Plagg continued, "I've not really seen this kwami for a while now. Best to assume the miraculous holder would also be able to do a lot of damage."

Adrien frowned, settling back down at the desk his mind now wavering. Damage was a trickier thing. Even with Ladybug's magic cure on clean up, he made every effort to keep everyone he could from getting hurt. On the rare occasion someone got hurt because he didn't get there fast enough, it hit him like a punch to the gut. It made him run all that much faster the next time. Whoever he tapped needed to have that same kind of approach.

Plagg was grinning down at him. "So you have someone in mind then?"

"Well, I had three in mind." Adrien paced the floor. "But one isn't nearly as observant as the other two. And one isn't exactly a great...team player."

Plagg quirked a brow. "Which leaves one. Can they be trusted?"

Adrien grinned. "She's already helped Chat out in the past."

"Ah." His kwami had the oddest smile on his face. "Your little girlfriend?"

Adrien blinked. "Hmm?"

Plagg smirked, jade eyes gleaming. "The one with the pigtails and the bright blue eyes. Who sits behind you?"

"Marinette?" Adrien directed his frowned over at his kwami, and resented for not the first time that Chloe's callous actions had apparently permanently altered his potential friendship with Marinette. "She's just a friend, remember. Even now, she doesn't really talk to me all that often."

Still smirking, Plagg seemed less than impressed. "Uh-huh."

Adrien rolled his eyes, putting Plagg's more usual ribbing out of his mind. "But she would definitely be the best bet here. She basically did a lot of the heavy lifting for Evillustrator and kept her cool for when her own Uncle was Akumatized."

"She's definitely a more level headed option than Chloe ." Plagg practically spit out Chloe's name. "I have no issues with Marinette filling the role."

Adrien released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. For as much of a pain as Plagg could be, he really did value his opinion. His kwami really didn't apply the brakes without good cause, even if it was only clear in retrospect.

"But," Plagg hedged, lifting a shoulder nonchalantly. "You might have a bit of a challenge though."

His eyes shot up to meet Plagg's, head tilted. "Meaning what exactly?"

Plagg lifted a brow innocently. "Just that she must have a lot on her plate. She is already on time nearly as much as you are. I'd guess she must help her parents in the bakery quite a lot as I can always scent the aroma of fresh baked bread when she's nearby."

Adrien groaned, smacking his hand to his forehead. "And she's class president. And an avid designer on top of that." His mental tally flashed through hats, album covers, and banners-and that's just what he could recall offhand. She really was so accomplished that it was sometimes hard to remember all she really did. It was a wonder she had any time at all to sleep, but it made her late arrivals make all the more sense.

Dismayed, Adrien shut his eyes and tried to think. Chloe was the next best option in terms of capability. But she did not play well with others. Ladybug already was not a huge fan. Would that get in the way of the-

He was so distracted, he failed to notice Plagg hovering mere inches in front of his face until his kwami pressed a furry finger to his nose. "Kid, I'm not telling you to give up. I'm just telling you that you need to figure out how best to convince her."

Adrien's eyes widened, as inspiration came mercifully quick. Plagg grinned in sync with him as their forms melded together.

Ladybug would get the support she needed. He and Plagg could watch over her as much as she would need to keep her safe.

And maybe-just maybe-this could be the opportunity he needed to finally help patch things over with Marinette.

Notes:

We'll be back to where I ended chapter one in the next installment!

I'm still really working to find the right voices (a real challenge without a beta reader!), so any constructive feedback that will help me improve is totally appreciated.


	3. A Confounding Situation

Marinette's eyes bulged with unfeigned surprise. "What?"

What on earth was Chat even thinking? How was this her life? How was she even supposed to react with this, other than surprise? She mentally shouted, her eyes darting to the potted plant Tikki dove behind. Her kwami shrugging slightly from behind the foliage.

Tikki! That's not helping! She knew she was barely concealing the panic that was surely registering in her eyes and was barely reigning in her desire the pace the roof. Not that it would be easy to do with Chat occupying about half the pacing space just by standing where he was. What am I even supposed to do here ?

"Well," Chat absently scratched at one of his ears, his voice sounding a bit less sure of himself than usual. "Like I said, I hoped that you might be willing to join the team with Ladybug and I..."

Internally screaming was supposed to be cathartic: helpful in processing your true feelings while pretending to be mostly unfazed on the surface. Marinette usually reserved such occasion for attempts at concealed joy, silencing the scream, but not necessarily the inevitable, sometimes spastic whirl of motion that accompanied the pleasantness usually reserved for after her better interactions with Adrien, a particularly good test score, or unexpectedly getting something past her usually canny, Lady-blogging BFF.

Apparently with fear of exposure, she was even less adept out of costume. She backed into the wall far harder than she intended, knocking her bruised shoulder back against the concrete half wall she was leaning against, she couldn't help but yelp. Loudly.

Marinette winced, slamming her eyes shut and groaning against the pain and the mild embarrassment as her cry echoed into the night. Her eyes flew shut in an odd mix of pain and shame, as any hope of a calm and collected, rational response to Chat flew out the proverbial window.

She was far more practiced in control of her emotions when she was wearing the mask. Maybe it was Tikki and her many years of wisdom and experience. Maybe it was the anonymity. Maybe it was the fact that the powers made her more capable and more sure of herself, and it just bled through.

Marinette could only hope that her clumsiness might act as a sudden deterrent to Chat's absurd plan. They didn't need another clumsy superheroine on their team. One was proving hard enough to deal with, thank you very much.

Not that he knew she was already on their team...

Chat's jade eyes were narrowed his jaw clenched tight. He swallowed as he edged closer to her, his clawed hand extended out to help her up.

She bit her lip, momentarily forgetting the protection afforded by the mask and Tikki's preternatural confidence and wisdom in keeping her emotions in check. She couldn't be so lucky without the suit. But even now as she was totally klutzing out, he was loyal and considerate to a fault. What was normally one of Chat's more endearing traits to her alter ego was all the more touching without the protection of the mask.

Still focused on managing the pain, she barely took notice until he was crouched down beside her. He placed a gloved hand on her good arm, gently demanding her attention. "Marinette? Are you okay?"

Her gaze darted to his hand, before she looked up and met those too green eyes. His ears kitten ears flattened to his head, his otherwise graceful, efficient motions were now slow and hesitant. It was almost as if he felt like he had tossed her back into the wall himself rather than through her own clumsiness.

Marinette frowned, her eyes inevitably drawn to the pain still evident in Chat's green eyes. Was Chat was beating himself up far more than she thought for not fully shielding Ladybug from the injury? Surprisingly, that hurt her nearly as much as the still throbbing ache at her shoulder. She certainly didn't blame him. There was only so much they both could do. There was a reason Master Fu had now entrusting them both with the duty to expand the team.

"I'll be okay." Shutting her eyes and plastering a smile on her face to cover any hint that she was still in pain, she was quick to reassure Chat. "Honest. I'm just a bit klutzy."

He pulled back a few inches, but left his hand still in place on her arm. His eyes were trained on hers, stubbornly not quite certain of her words. It was a good instinct on his part, but really wasn't so helpful for her at the moment. Marinette wilted slightly under his direct scrutiny. Huh. Weird. Were Chat's eyes always this intense?

She blinked, startled by the sudden noise emanating from her room below. She shifted her weight, trying not to wince in pain as she re-settled herself against the wall.

Chat stood still, motionless if not for the slight motions of his eyes that seemed to follow her slightest move.

Marinette's eyes widened. Didn't he realize he needed to…?

"Chat. Hide," she mouthed desperately, nodding her head up to the brick chimney above.

Finally, Chat's kitty ears perked, registering the sound. He made the leap up and out of sight over the rooftop just in time.

Marinette's parents heads popped up through the sunroof, her mother right behind her father.

"Marinette? What happened?"

"Are you alright?"

She sighed, feeling even more guilty. "I'm okay. Just clumsy, mama. I hit the bruise from earlier."

Her father frowned. "What bruise?"

Marinette paused briefly to glance up at where Chat was peeking over the edge of the chimney. She gave an embarrassed half-smile, forcing her gaze back to her parents. She could only hope that they wouldn't notice the curious cat looming only a few feet above them all. He really needed to be more careful. Curiosity might kill the chat after all. "I-I was carrying boxes down the stairs earlier tonight, and tripped on the last few steps. I turned around and caught myself, but bumped my shoulder against the wall."

Sabine inclined her head. "You forgot about the bruise, didn't you?"

"Yeah," she murmured, fiddling with her hair and not quite able to meet their eyes. "I was brainstorming some new ideas when I suddenly leaned back against the wall. I bumped against the bruise and couldn't keep myself from crying out."

Tom sighed in relief, his eyes. "Well, we're glad you are alright, if a bit achy still."

"But don't stay up for too much longer." Her mother cautioned, reaching out a hand to pat her daughter's on the head. "You've still got school tomorrow and you need your rest to help that shoulder heal up properly."

"I will." She nodded with a bright smile. "Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight, Dad."

"Good night, Marinette," her parents chimed in near-perfect unison, descending back down the creaking ladder.

She glanced down into the room to confirm the door was shut, waving when her mother looked back.

When the coast was finally clear, she closed the sunroof and gestured for Chat to come back down. He was still watching, with the oddest expression on his face.

"They'll be in bed early. They have to be up before 5:00 am every morning to start the day's baking."

"They won't worry?" Chat crossed his arms, tilting his head.

"Well, I don't think they'd expect I'd get many visitors this far up," Marinette chuckled, walking over the the metal rail that looked out over the water. "As long as I can keep from bashing my shoulder against the wall again, we can continue to talk undisturbed."

He smiled, making an effort to quietly land on the rooftop but was at her side in only a few moments. "I'm more of a morning person myself, given the typical day."

Marinette raised a quizzical brow, watching him out of the corner of her eye. "But you're out this late...?"

"Because I wouldn't really be sleeping well anyways. I'm not usually out this late either unless a patrol is needed."

Chat's smile was a little too wide. If she had only seen him a handful of times, she might be able to dismiss it out of hand.

"You really are worried for Ladybug, huh?"

"I worry for everyone, Purr incess."

She rolled her eyes, opting not to press. There was far too much else to worry about at the moment. They stood in silence for a few minutes as she mulled where to even start. "Why me?"

"Hmm?" His eyes darted over to hers.

Marinette bit her lip. She'd had this same conversation with Tikki at the outset, but the girl underneath the mask still had her doubts in her own abilities from time to time. Right now, as she and Chat were both already operating at their limits, she had to wonder what it was that Chat saw in her given the few times they had interacted.

"To be honest, Chat Noir," she hedged, "I'm not really sure I can."

He smiled. "I'm sure you are busy. And please know that I wouldn't ask except that this is truly important."

"It wasn't really all that noble when I jumped in," he confided, green eyes boring into hers. "But I did learn very early on how necessary this suit is. We were only brought in because there was a genuine need to protect people."

"And now?" Marinette prodded, interested to hear what else Chat might have heard that Master FU hadn't thought to confide.

"It is still necessary." Chat grimaced. "I don't know exactly how much you follow the news."

Marinette quirked her lips. "My friend Alya runs the Ladyblog, remember. I tend to get the play by play even when I don't check in."

"Then you know about the attack this afternoon?"

She pressed her lips together. "Only all too well."

His claws gripped the railing in front of him tightly "I wasn't fast enough, and Ladybug got hurt. Paris cannot afford to not have her ability to reverse the effects of the Akuma. I know it is possible to replace her. Technically. But I'm not sure if I could do all this without her."

"Chat Noir." Marinette stopped breathing for a moment as a fresh wave of guilt crept in. She was all at once spying on a personal moment, and getting for more than a peek behind the mask of her rarely serious partner-one he was giving quite unwittingly. He was always joking and always flirting with Ladybug. She had never really considered his intentions as anything other than light-hearted banter.

Her chest twinged, somewhat diverting her attention from the pain of the bruise. She shouldn't know this. "Do you have anyone else in mind?"

His brow furrowed. "I had two others offhand. But both were less than ideal. Good people, who I would trust, but I have some doubts with their ability to handle what would be required of the uniform. Like I said, you really are a perfect fit."

Eyes narrowed, Marinette leaned into the rail. "You don't really know me, though."

"We haven't worked together much, that's true," he confirmed. "But those few interactions spoke well for your ability under pressure. And your fellow classmates are Akumatized enough that I have seen on occasion how you deal with your classmates. It's far more of a trial than I ever got before I was handed the keys to this uniform."

She sighed. It was highly flattering that he thought so well of her, but she couldn't afford to dwell on it now. She already wouldn't be sleeping well tonight. She needed to get out of this and gently point Chat Noir to an acceptable second option. "It's just...I'm really clumsy."

Chat laughed. "So was I at first. Ladybug, too. There is power to the suits. Even I am not quite so capable, not nearly as impressive, outside of the suit. I still have some skills, but they are not nearly so quick."

Marinette smriked. "All those cat-like reflexes?"

"Are mostly the doing of my kwami," he grinned. "The kwami is like a sort of symbiotic partner. It exists separately until you need to borrow their powers and experience. You'll learn the muscle memory required to move around, and are not using only your own strength. And the kwami needs to recharge if you expend too much of their energy."

"Okay," she blinked, wondering how much to say considering she was not supposed to already know all that. It was a reasonable enough explanation, one that still gave away some details of the powers, just in case she couldn't accept it. She was oddly impressed; Chat was handling this whole thing with uncharacteristic calm. He had been slightly flirty from the outset, but the first sign of her pain had shocked him into something...someone far more serious.

"Okay?" His eyes widened, all hopeful innocence. Chat Noir had to be somewhere close to her age in actuality, but the sleepy, ever-widening grin made him look much younger.

"Okay, I'll consider it," she winced, but answered him seriously.

His face fell slightly, but he nodded. "I can't ask you to do more than that."

Marinette's shoulders drooped. She hated this. She felt like she was letting him down, even though the situation was literally impossible. Tikki definitely would not approve of wheedling out details from Chat on things that might further shed light on his identity without him knowing she was Ladybug. Maybe she could help drive Chat to another qualified candidate that match whatever it was that he valued. She just...needed time to think. And she definitely needed to talk to Tikki about all this. "I might have questions for you."

Chat smiled warmly, his eyes practically glowing as he lifted her knuckles to his lips. "And I will answer as many as you need."

She sighed and shook her head at his antics. Maybe she didn't need to worry quite so much after all. "I guess I should be getting to bed now."

Chat nodded, grinning as he tipped two fingers in salute. "I'll bid you adieu for this evening. Same time tomorrow, though? For any questions you might have?"

Marinette smiled, tilted her head towards the chair under the awning. "I'll be here."

He leapt up to balance on the railing, gauging this distance to the nearest rooftop.

"Chat," she confided, drawing a bit closer to the rail. "No matter what I decide, I promise I will keep all of this secret."

He blinked, arms milling about as he wobbling slightly.

Marinette couldn't quite stifle the gasp, until he righted himself steadily back over the rail. She knew he could handle himself, but it had been a long day and his eyes seemed to be wide with what must have been surprise at her words. His green eyes glowed in the dim lights on her roof. His gaze trained firmly on her, as if he was suddenly trying to puzzle through her own secrets. She shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "What is it?"

"Honestly, purrincess?" He whispered. "It never occurred to me that you might not keep it secret."

She gaped, trying not to focus on the rush of pleasure surely staining her cheeks. "Oh."

"Until tomorrow." Chat tipped two fingers to her in salute, bounding off the rail and into the darkness.

* * *

Notes:

I'm honestly really overwhelmed by the positive response to this fic. Thank you all so, so much! You've definitely been making my day with each lovely comment and kudos/favorite. It has definitely spurred on my muse more in this story than any other.

That said, this is one of those chapters where I really, really wish I had a beta reader. I've probably written and re-edited enough times that I'm absolutely sure I missed something, so I will probably need to do at least some minor edits later when I can give it another go with fresh eyes. Please let me know if you see something glaring that needs fixing.

Feel free to leave a comment here or send a message to me on Tumblr (overworkedunderwhelmed there too) and I will make any needed adjustments or just to let me know if you have a particular scene you'd really love to see done in future chapters!


	4. Kwami's Dilemma

Plagg was all about instinct.

Instinct was what kept him ahead of the darkness. It was what taught him to appreciate the finer things, like his near endless supply that the kid kept stocked despite all the grumbling. He knew that it was never truly endless. That eventually, he'd end up back in his box, dormant and waiting for the next threat, dreaming of the next miraculous holder, and wishing that he and Tikki wouldn't have to be housed separately.

If not for his own damnable luck.

"What do you think, Plagg?"

The cat knocked his head against the fridge door. "I think you might need to expand your list, kid. Just to make sure you have considered all the best options."

His blonde head bobbed, not bothering to suppress the frown.

It wasn't that Plagg didn't sympathize, but someone had to be pragmatic even if doing that was somewhat of a challenge for him at the moment. "She's all but told you that she might have to say no, so you need to be ready to go to the next one on your list right after."

"Right. We can't really afford to wait too long." Adrien sighed, frowning as he tapped his pen to the page. "And I'd better be sure that I can trust whoever else I pick to keep the secret no matter what."

Plagg mumbled his agreement absently and tried to quell his rumbling stomach.

* * *

Instinct kept him moving cagily about the room when he couldn't settle down to sleep. Even the promise of a whole mountain of cheese hadn't calmed his urge to pace the length of the room.

Right now, there was too much on his mind.

His constant shuffling and the need to better prepare for a possible (but the kid had clearly hoped unnecessary) choice to get the Bee Miraculous had already kept Adrien up for far too late. He kept tossing out hypothetical situations and posing possibilities, and then tossed and turned, agonizing over the tiniest detail. Eventually, it was only Natalie's knocking threat of a morning photo shoot that convinced him to finally put his head to the pillow.

The pile of pros and cons still set out on his desk and Plagg grumbled before tossing those into his desk. That wasn't the kind of thing you left out for just anyone to see.

Instinct was also taught him when his charge had-finally!-lost himself to slumber well past midnight. When his breathing had steadied just so that he wouldn't wake up until his alarm sounded or that lady assistant came knocking on the door in the morning.

It told him the the light the bustle of activity downstairs meant that the staff was busy readying Gabriel Agreste's bags for another trip abroad.

In fact, were it not for this team adjustment situation, Plagg was far too tempted to sneak back into to that safe while Adrien slept to see if there were any other secrets ferried away. He didn't know why Adrien's father happened to have a copy of that book. Had he just been researching the heroes for some crazy fashion inspiration? Was he looking for powers himself or seeking out some way to unmask their charges? The former seemed unlikely. The latter was a bit too nefarious. It was too much to hope for that the answer might bode well for Adrien.

It was why he didn't really like to leave Adrien alone in this house. Not just because the kid was lonely. Something just didn't sit right, and he didn't arrive at his current ripe old age by failing to mark those curious compulsions to make sure all was well.

But sometimes, these things were necessary. It wasn't every day that you figured out where your other half had been hiding herself.

* * *

He flit through the air, hovering just over the rooftops more as a means to conceal his form than to shorten his path. Far fewer lights illuminated the path this late, but long practiced instincts of patrolling was well ingrained in his own mind.

Teeth clenched together as the wind rushed past, his fangs peeking out from his lips now chilled in the crisp night air. Why had it never occurred to him that Tikki might actually be trying to hide herself from him? So, there had been one bad interaction between their miraculous holders decades ago. Big deal? They had literal millennia of working together, but it was apparently enough to spur his other half had definitely preferred the whole cloak and dagger routine. Sheesh! They had even been around when that turn of phrase was invented!

Plagg grumbled, his eyes narrowing. This whole thing had the old man's hand-and that traitor Wayzz-written all over it.

He had always been the one able to sense Tikki, to come to her aid whenever she and her miraculous were in trouble, but it never really worked in the reverse. Her powers were more logical, a lightning fast ability to read a situation and find the domino that would send the others tumbling down to the optimal outcome. It was simple cause and effect. His own powers were more about heightened sensitivity to his surroundings and instincts, finding the critical weakness and bringing it to outright ruin. It was hard to be positive, when you kept spotting the literal and metaphorical chinks in the armor. He tried to lock that in keeping it to himself, except for the bits that bled over during the transformation. His cats were a surprisingly sensitive bunch, and could only deal with that strongly negative force in smaller doses. Of course, it was because of those sensitivities and affinities that the miraculous holders jived well with both their powers and amplified both of their senses.

Adrien might love to complain that he was always napping, but he needed to be still to properly focus his other senses. It was only once in awhile that he caught wind of Tikki's scent, usually when an Akuma decided to make itself known. Then they were both far too occupied to explore. Otherwise, he was rarely far from Adrien outside of the occasional catnap in his bag or locker.

Besides, the kid was too far gone on his feelings for Ladybug to actively go looking for her. He'd had to content himself with the endless string of lovelorn sighs and angst, as Ladybug herself had decreed they can never know who each other are. Plagg figured it out before Adrien missed his chance by following his heart, but he had not bothered to tell him that his motivation wasn't entirely selfless.

He needed to see Tikki, too.

Not that he had even been actively looking when he heard that familiar hum. The poor girl had knocked herself clumsily against the wall, and for just one fleeting instant, Plagg had recognized the distinct hum of energy and flapping wings that accompanied his more literal other half.

Tikki had been gearing up to come to the aid of her charge before she thought better of it, considering the audience.

Adrien had to have felt his recognition, too. His heart was racing, the tips of his claws digging into his palms. But if the kid had any idea that Marinette was in fact his lady love, Plagg would never have managed to get him home already.

His tiny claws tapped upon the window pane of the window just below the bakery's roof in irritation. It didn't matter that it was so late. Tikki had better be awake.

They had far too much to talk about.

Notes:

All errors are mine. I'm still looking for a beta in this fandom.

I spent the last three weeks doing crazy overtime for work and this idea just wouldn't let me go. I have several works in progress and lots of IRL responsibilities, so I will update as soon as I can.

Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading!

I'll try to provide updates on upcoming chapters on my tumblr blog (same name over there).


	5. Rooftop Standoff

"What are we going to do, Tikki?"

Marinette shuffled anxiously through the room, just as high strung and spirited as usual if not for her limp. The poor girl just would not settle down.

Tikki sighed, her voice lower and raspier than usual. It did look bad, but they both had puzzled there way out of tighter spots in the past. And at least there was also standing precedent of Chat Noir keeping a respectable distance at her request. The boy was at least trustworthy. "We will figure something out, Marinette. We just need to look at all the facts."

Tiny hands held a cookie up to her lips, nibbling as she watched the girl fret and pace. She was never more glad that Marinette had the forethought to sneak upstairs with a plate of the day old cookies. After the day they both had, they needed it.

Besides, the more power that Tikki recovered, the more likely she'd be able to lend some of her energy to help Marinette heal a bit faster when she was transformed. With no apparent rhyme or reason to Hawkmoth's attack, there was no way to tell how long they had before another strong Akuma was sent their way.

"Really. This isn't so bad," she murmured. "Chat gave us quite a lot to work with."

The girl's cornflower blue eyes narrowed. She stilled, arms akimbo as she gazed back at Tikki hopefully. Only the anxious motion of her fingers tracing at her elbows confirmed she had not yet been mollified.

Tikki smiled behind her cookie. "He was very complimentary of you after all."

"But-" Marinette sputtered and gaped, holding fast to her defensive stance. "That's just Chat as usual. All puns and flirtation."

Eyeing her charge levelly, Tikki was firm. "That was more seriousness from him than I usually see except when you are in danger. I see through your eyes when you transform, remember?"

Tenuous hold on her composure, Marinette flops down onto her bed, wincing as the bruise was jostled. "He couldn't possibly be serious.?

"Why?"

Marinette went silent, hunched as she sat up in her bed.

Tikki doesn't let it drop. "Are you and Ladybug exactly the same? Outside of the actual powers, you are a bit more confident and self assured, but it doesn't change who you are underneath."

When her charge bit her lip, hugging her knees up to her chest, Tikki pressed on. "Why do you think Chat is any different? There is some part of himself that he is empowered to express as his alter ego. But underneath all of it is a boy, probably with many of the same hopes and fears as you. He put himself in this situation to protect you specifically. It is encouraging that he has also noted and admires your own courage when you truly are yourself."

Marinette's head dropped onto her folded arms. "He's protecting Ladybug, Tikki. Not me."

The kwami grew defensive, hating when Marinette gave in to the self doubts. "Well, it wasn't Ladybug he was complimenting this evening. Clearly, he clearly does care for your alter ego or else he would not have rushed headlong in to put you on the team."

"But really? How could he even say all those things?"

"Well, he is rash-"

Marinette shook her head. "I mean, Chat really doesn't know me. He's saved me as Marinette on occasion - just about as often as I have also had to save him, mind you. But how could that be enough for him to trust me more than anyone else in his life."

Tikki tilted her head. "Perhaps he is really that lonely in his own life. Not everyone is lucky enough in their friends and family as you have been."

Bare toes curling up, Marinette hugged her knees in closer. "D-do you really think it might be quite so bad for him?"

"It is very possible." Tikki sighed, landing on Marinette's hunched shoulder and patting her hair until the glimmer of tears that haunted the girl's eyes stopped welling. "Or maybe…?"

Marinette blinked, her head jerking upwards suddenly. "Maybe?"

"Maybe he actually knows Marinette?"

Bluebell eyes wide, Marinette gaped.

"Just think about it or a minute. Hawkmoth has sent a greater than average number of Akuma directly to your school." Tikki mumbled, now somewhat flustered as she floated through the air. "I know teenagers are more prone to hormones and all, but they are not the only ones having a bad day most days. It makes me wonder what Hawkmoth is up to. Does he think one or both of you go to the school and is trying to identify you by process of elimination?"

Marinette finally found her voice. "That's a scary thought."

"Unfortunately, it is also a very possible one. But we are getting off track here." Tikki clapped her hands together. "Let's re-focus. If you are set on Alya, then we need to help Chat Noir to find someone other than you to fill the role."

"Can I ask?" Marinette whispered. "I mean when it came time to give me the Miraculous, how did you know? Did you pick me or did Master Fu?"

Tikki's smiled softly, crinkling the edges of her eyes. "Master Fu was searching for a pair of young people who were genuinely kind, with a clear potential to work together. Wayzz grants him a bit of the sight to truly see that level of potential. After that, Plagg and I both have certain...natural affinities. I always do well with creative types, but it is generally necessary for the logic. Otherwise, the fixes might fail or we might as a team. Plagg has seemed to have darker leanings, for capability to focus all of that negative destructive power, but surely even his miraculous holder must be gaining some benefit or it wouldn't be worth it."

Marinette nodded, nibbling at the edge of her lip. "I remember that Chat seemed really enthusiastic when we first met. Anxious to jump at the opportunity, really. And speaking from experience, it can be exhausting with the patrols and the pressure. He couldn't possibly stick to it unless he actually liked it."

"Unfortunately, that is a double-edged sword. When you walk that close to destruction, there is always a chance you get sucked in," Tikki explained. "It is in large part why he and I operate in pairs. The creative and destructive forces need each other for balance."

"So, if something happens to me," Marinette trailed off, uncertain that she really wanted to hear the answer, but all too aware it was necessary.

"Chat Noir might not necessarily be able to rein himself in from the destructive force, especially if he thinks you are gone. He usually holds himself well in check, in fact better than may of his predecessors, especially for what I assume must be his age. But there have been those desperate moments that have me worried…"

"Is that why you've insisted on the secrecy?"

"In part. This whole situation with Hawkmoth is fairly new. Kwami don't typically fight one another, although there is sometimes a difference in power or a hierarchy in play. Generally, everyone is not all out at once, but the caretaker is watching and adjusts the balance in play as is needed in the world. We're all seeking balance.

Marinette's brow wrinkled in thought. "So, these two new Kwami.

"The fox and the bee." Tikki finished. "You have the fox."

"Like Volpina?" Marinette scowled.

"Very similar, actually. But likely that was because Volpina was modelled off of an image of a real miraculous holder. Both these two are good at managing situations and helping clear the field. The fox can create illusions, although it doesn't work exactly as you saw with Volpina. The bee can cause damage, but is really more adept at compelling others to do as he or she bids. They both can limit civilian problems that you all run into, leaving you to focus in on the fight itself without worry."

"Tikki, wouldn't both of the kwami have something they are looking for in their miraculous?"

Tikki hesitated. "Well, ideally I'd want to ask them, but they would need a miraculous holder to really even come out and chat. I can say that I like the idea that we both benefit each other. I'm borrowing your strength, your form, and your cleverness. I'm here to give you guidance and these powers, but I can tell that you have grown into a far more confident young woman."

Marinette scoffed. "Not in everything."

Tikki smiled. "No. But that will come too, in time. It is very easy for me to say be patient, as I've seen it rewarded time and time again in my lifetime. But your feelings for Adrien hit you very hard and fast. Sometimes, it takes a good long while to get used to that."

Marinette cuddled up under the blanket, pencil and paper in hand. "Let me think about it. Maybe I can at least give him a good list of people to consider."

"Mmmhmm!" Tikki flit down to the plate of cookies, snagging one for herself and one for Marinette. The prospect of crumbs in bed were far less dire than the rest of the day.

She was just about to flit back up as she caught a flash of glowing green piercing through the darkness.

He was emphatic, arms flailing about outside the window.

She nibbled on the cookie, watching his panic grow a bit more fervent as she stayed calm. If he was here, then he figured out that Marinette is Ladybug. But it was only him and not Chat Noir. So maybe he kept his mouth shut.

No sense making Marinette even more worried.

"I think I'm going to up and sit on the roof for a bit and meditate. To see if I can recall any more details that might be helpful."

Marinette hummed in agreement, as her pen scratched rapidly across the page.

Tikki nodded, ascending up to phase through the roof door. Marinette would certainly have a few good ideas for Chat Noir. Plagg had better have good news. They really couldn't afford much else at the moment.

* * *

"What took you so long? It is freezing out here."

Tikki sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. The prospect of the cold wasn't really all that appealing to her either. "It takes a while to get away without to arousing suspicion."

Plagg sighed, crossing his arms as well as he hovered above the pink chair. "Tell me about it. I had to get the kid settled and sleeping before it was even possible."

Tikki's eyes narrowed. "How did you know where to find us, Plagg?"

"You, Tikki. You hummed."

She gaped. "What?"

"When the girl got hurt earlier, I heard your wings fluttering." Fangs peeked through his grin. "Did you really think I'd forget the sound after all this time?"

"Oh," Tikki blushed, turning away. "I hadn't realized that you could-wait! Does your charge know as well?"

His face fell slightly. "He didn't recognize it like I did. And I didn't spell it out for him."

Tikki sighed.

"Yet." Plagg grin turned grim.

She shut her eyes, trying to suppress her growing irritation. Clearly her relief came a moment too soon.

"You know very well that this whole thing wouldn't even be an issue if you hadn't insisted on the dual secrecy. I know for a fact that my kid wouldn't mind in the least revealing himself to her."

"Plagg-"

"Tell me, Tikki. After all they have already been through together, do you really think they don't trust each other?" he hissed.

"It isn't about trust, Plagg. It is about the potential for corruption."

"Tikki, if my kid hasn't gotten Akumatized yet, it is hard to imagine it as a possibility. Unless…"

Tikki quirked a tiny brow at him. Did he not realize that he had just made her point for her?

Plagg grumbled at the look she was giving him. "Well, since you've cut off all communication between us until now - and don't think I'm not miffed about that anyways - that book that the kid found has me concerned."

"Plagg." Groaning, Tikki's pressed her hand to her forehead, massaging her temples and trying to force the knowledge from her brain. "You know are not supposed to be telling me who he is."

"Can't be helped. That book was in his father's safe."

Tikki closed the distance between them as the pieces started to mentally lock into place. "Why would he have the book if not for…?"

Plagg shrugged. "That's been my question plaguing me for the past few weeks."

Tikki raised a brow, letting the pun go otherwise unremarked. The puns were really starting to become a problem. But clearly not the biggest one they had to deal with for the moment.

"If not for some crazy designer reason, why would the man have a book that disappeared from the face of the earth decades ago."

"Master Fu was shocked to see it." Tikki muttered, eyeing Plagg carefully. "And with good reason. He actually started to train and explain the greater workings to her."

"My kid is not a slouch mentally either. He might be able to help - or come to the suspicions himself with the pieces that Master Fu might reveal. He's already dealt with enough loss in his life. He's tight-lipped on whatever happened with his mother and his father might as well never be there. "

"Plagg," she murmured softly, a frown otherwise marring her features. "Is it really that bad?"

Plagg shook his head. "No idea, honestly. The kid has toughed out the worst of it, but there have been a few bad days. I'm afraid if his Pop does end up as the villain of the piece that he might truly need Ladybug to keep himself level. Outside of me, I can count his close friends on one paw. He needs someone else."

Tikki smiled. "You are with him every day, Plagg?"

"Well," he huffed, carefully not meeting her eyes. "Someone had to play the occasional parent to him."

"Oh," Tikki teased, her hand covering her mouth to mask a snicker. "You actually stopped eating long enough to do so?"

"Hey," he grumbled. "I can be responsible from time to time. Not like I have much option here. This kind of stuff is never easy to do alone."

"Ah. There's the old softy I've not seen in a few decades."

Tikki," his jaws clenched, fur slightly raised as he stalked forward readying to pounce. "You keep that quiet. I have a reputation to protect."

"As a glutton, yes." She snorted into the air, turning tail to backpedal across the rooftop. "How much cheese are you demanding of that poor boy?"

"Hah!" Plagg zipped through the air, right on her tiny heels. "I saw you putting away those sweets, Tikki. You're getting a bit soft round the middle, yourself."

Tikki narrowly dodged him, releasing a disgruntled grunt. "It isn't my fault my charge's parents run an amazing bakery. And you know I am barely keeping up with the energy needs as it is."

Plagg frowned, halting in the air overhead. "Is it really that bad?"

"Well," Tikki hedged, still watching him suspiciously. "I fuel up as much as possible in between, but these Akuma are literally running us all over Paris. I've had more close calls than I like."

"And her injury?"

"It's why I was filling up earlier." she assured, large eyes still trained on his tail. He was just waiting for an opportunity, unless she could verbally knock him off balance first. "Who knows how long we might have before the next Akuma arrives?"

Plagg stiffened, his tail slowing. "If I am right, we must have a few days at least."

"As much as I'd hate for your theory to be right," Tikki sighed, "we both could use it. We really need to get the rest of the team in place and practiced before Hawkmoth has another opportunity."

"I don't disagree."

"Well, if Adrien wasn't trying to re-hire Marinette for the part-"

Irritated, Plagg pounced at her again again. When he missed, he knocked over one of the potted plants, sending it crashing to the ground. Tikki winced at the sound of the crash, but didn't pull her eyes off Plagg.

He scowled, closing the short distance between them. "This is the problem with all this secrecy. You've made it so that we couldn't help each other."

"You'd better go quick. I can't make any promises; she might not really be ready to learn who he is."

"I figured. But now we don't really have a choice." He batted softly at her antenna, nodding. "Keep yourselves both safe."

She smiled at that, before his ears perked suddenly and he took off like a shot towards the edge of the roof. ' I missed you, too, old friend.'

Marinette popped her head up through the sunroof, broom in hand. "Tikki?"

She was just in time to see a cat tail darting down from the edge of her roof and her Kwami watching the creature go.

"I'm alright, Marinette. I promise."

Marinette sighed, holding her hand out to bring Tikki down. It was late enough that cleaning up the broken pot should really wait until tomorrow, when she could even see to collect all the shards. "I swear, Tikki. Cats really are nothing but trouble."

Tiny hands settled on her hips, Tikki muttered. "I can't argue with that."

The girl's blue eyes scanned the rooftop one last time. "How did he even get up here?"

Tikki's lips curled upwards, slightly as she flit down to her little bed. Yawning, she murmured her reply: "The gods only know, Marinette."

* * *

Chapter Notes:

With thanks/apologies to Just_A_Fan for borrowing a bit of that visual from your last comment. I seriously was chuckling for days. :D

I'm honestly really overwhelmed by the positive response to this fic. Thank you all so, so much! You've definitely been making my day with each lovely comment and kudos/favorite. It has definitely spurred on my muse more in this story than any other.

Feel free to leave a comment here or send a message to me on Tumblr (overworkedunderwhelmed there too), especially if you see any glaring needs for edits or just to let me know if you have a particular scene you'd really love to see done in future chapters!

* * *

Author's Notes:

All errors are mine. I'm still looking for a beta in this fandom.

I spent the last three weeks doing crazy overtime for work and this idea just wouldn't let me go. I have several works in progress and lots of IRL responsibilities, so I will update as soon as I can.

Feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading!

I'll try to provide updates on upcoming chapters on my tumblr blog (same name over there).


	6. Chapter 6

It was at moments like this, when Marinette would otherwise be huffing and sputtering as she ran to school (late of course), that she truly appreciated her never-ending stamina and endurance trial that was the akuma-battling and patrolling. Just the sheer spike of adrenaline and the pump of her arms and legs in coordinated concert had her mind racing.

Something she would have killed to remember as she struggled to get to sleep the night before. Every idea she had seemed tired. Even Tikki seemed to have issues pulling good ideas together. But as they had no time to lose in considering the best advice and alternatives for Chat, they had both put their heads together - quite literally - until the alarm failed to wake them both up this morning.

But now? The rush of air to her lungs was spurring everything forward, calming the rising wave of panic that would otherwise overwhelm her. It was all the levelheaded comfort of battle mode, minus her ladybug suit and close connection to Tikki.

She really hadn't gotten to do as much thinking as she'd wanted. She owed Chat Noir that much, since there was no way she could actually help him here,let alone come up with a good enough excuse that didn't involve explaining why she truly couldn't accept this new miraculous.

Besides, even if he could occasional be obnoxious, Chat was one of her best friends - puns and all. Every once in awhile, he even managed to sneak in one that was actually clever (not that she could ever tell him that. He was incorrigible enough as it was.) He had literally risked his life for hers more than once, often without a thought to his own safety. His decisions were sometimes rash, but he deserved the equal level of protection from her, even if they both couldn't afford for her to take a more physical hit for him.

She had decided last night that she would speak to Chat as Ladybug later today on patrol, but until then all her non lecture time would be devoted to solving his problem in a way he'd be happy with. He already had her on his team and at his side. He just didn't know it - and sadly probably never would.

Her legs started to ache a bit from the speed and from bounding against the stone and pavement in her flats, as she rounded the final corner. She huffed slightly, halting just outside the school doors to re-adjust her shoe. Okay, so it wasn't exactly like being in the suit. And maybe she really did need to look into shoes that were a bit more functional for these last minute dashes to school. Surely there was something cute that wouldn't be likely to rub blisters.

Marinette sighed. At least she could talk to Alya during school today. Alya knew comic books, she knew fictional works. She knew and understood people. Alya would get exactly what it was that could help build a team. And where she didn't know personally, she might be able to point Marinette in the right direction.

As an added bonus, she (well...Ladybug, really) hadn't had the opportunity to ask Alya to join up with the team. Her input would be entirely unbiased. Marinette just needed to come up with a mostly subtle way to add that into their conversation.

Tikki peered out of the purse, looking a little queasy. Her bag must have been bouncing a bit too much as she ran.. "I really am sorry, Marinette. I know you wanted to talk again this morning, but even I was too tired to wake-"

"Not to worry, Tikki." She assured, patting her kwami's head and settling her back inside the bag as she opened the School's door. "I think I have an idea that should help."

* * *

Adrien was restless, his foot tapping on the ground beneath the desk to spend the excess energy from the coffee he'd had for breakfast. It wasn't his usual habit, but was a necessary evil after he had spent the whole night tossing and turning, wondering how to persuade Marinette.

He never really enjoyed the days when the coursework lectures covered topics that he had already covered at home the year before. But today he'd make an exception, glad at least that he would not to spend the effort needed to retain any new material. While his eyes were trained ostensibly on the teacher and on his notebook, his entire attention was focused on the still empty seat directly behind him.

His regular focus that had carefully schooled his countenance as Adrien Agreste, model student, son, and model slumped along with his shoulders, as he scribbled notes aimlessly on the page.

He'd even woken up earlier than his alarm, opting to pace his room instead of laying in place and staring at the ceiling much to Plagg's grumbling dismay. If he was honest with himself, he really never expected Marinette to not jump at the opportunity to be a superhero as he had.

Plagg had warned him not to get his hopes up. But if he was honest, there were very few people he'd ever interacted with who were both so capable and so kind. Not to mention that few others could go toe to toe with Chloe and end up ahead of the game so often. In that way, Marinette was just like Ladybug. Tardiness aside, it was what had made him positive she'd be perfect for the team. Hawkmoth never seemed to operate in the early morning, anyways.

The door slid open quietly, revealing a nervously contrite Marinette who was trying to sneak in quietly to her seat.

Adrien didn't usually focus on the small things, but even he couldn't help but notice of the unmistakable bags under Marinette's eyes, in spite of her otherwise cheery countenance. His mind whirred to life, puzzling over possibilities. Was she happy for the offer? Was she trying to figure out some polite way to push him away?

He sighed, fingers smoothing his hair self-consciously. Especially in her interactions with him, Marinette was entirely puzzling for him to read. There was little doubt in his mind that she was reliable, entirely trustworthy… and yet there was something about him - as Adrien Agreste - that was still quite so off putting for her. Even as Chat Noir, she treated him much more like she did everyone else in her life.

His ears perked on the slightest whisper of shuffle coming from the seat behind him. He's desperate for any sort of sign, sort of approval or hint that she might accept Chat Noir's proposal to join the team. She was clearly tired when she came sneaking in through the door, offering a typically lame excuse, but it really wasn't every day that one was offered superpowers. It was a lot to take in and consider, and at least she was being granted the luxury of time to ensure that she could carry that burden. Paris wouldn't need her help urgently, but Chat and his Lady definitely needed it as soon as possible.

He frowned, briefly irritated at his own lack of extra senses in his human form. What he wouldn't give to have Plagg's help right now, but the extra pair of ears would definitely ruin his subtle reconnaissance mission.

* * *

Plagg grumbled, slitting one jarringly green eye open as a blur of red invaded his space, tapping a tiny mitt to his shoulder. "This is my bag. Go get your own."

"Nope," Tikki huffed, whispering as softly as possible as she cuddled up beside him. "There is plenty of room. Besides, if I don't get to sleep, neither do you."

Plagg grinned toothily, eyes still mostly shut. "She kept you up late?"

"No," Tikki frowned, trying and failing to mask her not so subtle yawn. "Your visit did. I've been worried about Adrien."

Plagg stretched and moved closer to her antenna. "Well, the kid has barely punned since he saw your girl get hurt. He's definitely phased by this whole turn of events."

"Well, the moment Marinette realizes who Chat Noir actually is, I'm going to have a miserable time trying to keep her focused."

Plagg sighed. "I told you. There is not going to be a better time. His father is gone for a week at least if the number of bags piled at the door was any indication. The man doesn't usually travel for quite so long."

"How sure are you, Plagg?" "We can't afford to be wrong. I'd rather not have them revealing themselves until it is absolutely necessary. Or if they both puzzled it out on their own."

"Sure enough, bug." Plagg grit his teeth. "The times match up so far with his travel. And the man keeps a secret safe that even the kid didn't know about that had the book on the Miraculous holders."

Tikki grew silent, listening to the muted drone of their holder's French literature teacher through the leather. Her eyes drooping heavily, as she slowly allowed herself to settle in beside Plagg. "It would be rather funny," Tiki mused

"What would?"

"If he turned out to have Noroo…"

Plagg smirked. "What? The whole Simon Says incident."

"Plagg. The man was turned into a butterfly and was flitting about the TV studio."

The cat kwami snorted. "Do you even know how long I've had to laugh about that to myself? Not that I could tell the kid. He's not ready to deal with it yet..."

Tikki popped an eye open, reaching for his paw and tugging it into her own. "At least this isn't always a lonely job."

Plagg rolled his eyes and grumbled.

But didn't move away an inch.

* * *

It didn't take long for Nino to notice that his best bud was all out of sorts. He was hunched over and doodling.

Doodling. His bro never doodled. Too much risk of word getting back to the control freak. Even when he noticed the dude zoning out in the past it was still...focused. He was multi-tasking. Adrien would even answer the teacher when they thought they could catch him not paying attention.

Something was up in a big way. But when his Dad was the cause, Adrien threw himself into the books hard to try to impress his father. So what else could it be…?

Nino shook his head to clear his thoughts The why wasn't so important right now. He just had to get his bro through this class and find out what his deal is at lunch break. Before the Miss Bustier noticed.

Or worse: Alya.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Sadly, the problem of having a small kiddo means that every germ seems to find its way into your house, and I've been super down for the count for weeks trying to recover from this crazy upper respiratory infection.

I'm plotting out a few chapters ahead with this one, but I definitely love hearing suggestions on where people would like to see things go. In my experience, ideas usually open the floodgates for even more ideas.

Thanks again to Anastasia for all her help in beta-reading and a big thank you for all those who have taken the time and trouble to leave comments and kudos. It makes my day every time! :)


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